City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 13.2% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $113,200 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $851 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.9% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Davenport, IA ($117,402 → $108,137), while prices change by −11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,302 in Davenport | $113,248 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$851/yr.
100 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$851/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Davenport, IA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,708 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,871 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $90,937 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $108,137 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $127,786 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $61,650 | $69,817 (+9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $115,780 | $131,118 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $77,600 | $87,880 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $77,150 | $87,371 (−15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.